The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has debunked rumour that its governor Godwin Emefiele has been sacked.
The rumour followed the decision of the CBN to increase the interest rate from 11.5% to 13%, citing rising inflation and the need to avoid a lack of demand for Nigeria’s bonds.
There have been calls for Emefiele’s resignation or sack over his presidential aspiration.
However, reacting to the fresh rumour on Wednesday that Emefiele had been relieved of his duties, CBN spokesman Osita Nwanisiobi told Nairametrics that “he is not aware of any sack of the CBN governor.”
It was also learnt that Emefiele is in Davos on an official assignment.
He had approached a federal court seeking to restrain the bank’s board, the attorney general of the federation and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from hindering him from running for the office of the president.
Since backing off from his presidential ambition, Emefiele has withdrawn the suit from the court.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that he withdrew the suit filed against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation over his presidential ambition.
Emefiele, through his counsel, S.T. Maliki, told Justice Ahmed Mohammed that a notice of discontinuance had been filed and served on the defendants in the matter.
Maliki, who held the brief of Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, said though the matter was scheduled for mention, they had Emefiele’s instruction to withdraw the suit.
“Pursuant to the instruction of the plaintiff (Emefiele), we filed a notice of discontinuance dated and filed May16, 2022.
“And the said notice of discontinuance was served on all the defendants on that said date of May 16, 2022, which proof of service is before your lordship,” Maliki said.
The lawyer said of all the defendants, only the 4th and 5th defendants filed a counter-affidavit in response to the plaintiff’s amended originating summons after the notice of withdrawal had been served on them.
He prayed the court to discontinue the suit and make an order striking it out, issues having not been joined by parties in the suits, citing Order 50 of the rules of this court.
Although the lawyer of the 4th defendant, John Aikpokpo-Martins, opposed Emefiele’s intention to withdraw the suit, he urged the court to dismiss the suit with N1.5 million cost.
However, counsel for the 2nd and 3rd defendants, Chris Nevo and T. J. Adi respectively did not object to the withdrawal notice.